The invention relates generally to power-driven conveyors and in particular to belt conveyors that have a drive pitch longer than the belt's articulation pitch.
Modular conveyor belts are constructed of rows of belt modules linked together at hinge joints. Conventionally, each belt row has one or more drive surfaces engaged by drive faces—e.g., teeth on the peripheries of sprockets. The spacing of consecutive hinge joints defines the belt pitch. The spacing of consecutive drive surfaces defines the belt's drive pitch. Usually the belt pitch and the drive pitch are equal. For small-pitch belts driven on each row, the thickness of the teeth has to be small. But, because thin teeth lack material, they are highly subject to wear. As the thin teeth wear, they weaken and then fail.